Ditch-digging machine



June 18, 1929. c; T. TOPPING D-ITCH DIGGING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1926` lOSheets-Sheefc June 18, 1929. c. T. TOPPING 1,717,476

DITCH DIGGING MACHINE Filed Apr-1.1 3, 1926 lOSheets-Sheet 2 FIE.Z.

June 18, 1929. C, T TOPPlNG 1,717,476

I DITCH DIGGING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1926 lOShees-Shee?l 3 FIEf.

June 18, 1929. Q T, TOPPING 1,717,476

'DI TCH DIGGING MACHINE Filed April 3, 1926 lOSheets-Sheet 4 June 18, 1929. C;- T. TOpp|NG I 1,717,476

DITCH DIGGING MACHINE Filed April 5, 1926 losheets-Sheet 5 /N vE/vrok l0 Sheets-Sheet 6 C. T. TOPPING DITcI-I DIGGING MACHINE Filed April 3 1926 June 18, 1929.

Filed April 5, lOSheets-Sheet 7 /NVE/V TUR EZ-m., 7.

WTVE'SSES June 18, 1929. c. T. ToPPlNG DITCH DIGGING MACHINE 1926 10Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed April 3 MIL /N VEN rpg wy W4@ wvww June 18, 1929. c. T. ToPPlNG DITCH DIGGING MACHINE IOSheets-Sheef 9 Filed April 3 1926 /fwfrak A fa/aa 7 y June 18, 1929. C, T TOPPING 1,717,476

,DITCH DIGGING MACHINE Filed April 3, 192e losnegtsfsheet 1o m/ if Patented .lune 18, 1929.

UNITED stares CHARLES T. TorPiivG, or DAYToN, onto.

BITCH-mesme Milioni-Nn.

Application filed April 3, 1926. Serial No; 99,531.'

My invention relates to excavating machinery, and more especially to excavators for digging trenches or ditches for pipe lines, drainage tile, sewer lines and the like.

@ne of the objects of my invention is to provide an excavating device which shall be.

a self-contained unitadapted for use with farm tractors, which shall be of simple, compact and durable mechanical construction, Which shall be readilyv attached or removed to and from the tractor propergand Which shall comprise a` minimum number of 0perating parts that are readily accessible for manipulation by the operator.

Another object of my invention is to provide an excavating mechanism adapted to be associated Withy a tractor Which shall be attached to the tractor portion in such mannei as to support the tractor and to permit the ready removal or dismembering of the exea,- vating and tractor parts.

Another object oi my invention is to provide a combined tractor and excavating device in Which the operating parts are severally associated through a transmission system to a common actuating oi' impelling device. f

Another object of my invention is to provide an excavating device especially adapted for digging ditches in which the cutting or excavating mechanism is adjustablerelative to its supporting frame structure to vary the depth of the excavation.

Another object ofmy invention is to provide an excavating device Which Shall oper- Y ate on the work to be removed in the path ofV its impelling mechanism, and which shall be provided with means for discharging or div verting the cuttings to either side ofthe ex-f cavating device.

Another object of my invention isto provide an excavating device Which shall be adapted to excavate ditches or trenches of a Wide rangey ot' proportions of Widths and depths either centrally oi its supporting traction structure or in line with one of its traction members, thereby facilitating the cutting of trenches near Walls, curbing or other obstructions.

It has been heretofore proposed to utilize the common vform of farm tractor for excavating Work byfremoving the rear tractor Wheels and supporting the tractor on the frame'portion ofan excavator supported on its own Wheeled axle, and it has been sugvgested to impel the excavating machinery and to actuate the excavating mechanism by suitable drive connections with the main drive axle of the tractor.

Although such arrangement can `be effectively employed in excavating Work, it was ioundithat a device of this nature had serious limitations, and numerous diiiiculties Were encountered in its operation. The main diiiiculties resultedfroni the inflexibility of the operating parts, there having been no' provisions made for adjustment of the excavator member with respect to the work acted upon,

tively Wide range of cutting actions,its mechanical parts being especially designed to provide a rugged, durable mechanical structure of sutlicient iiexibility towithstand thev are subjected. lrhave further provided a simple transmission system tor'coupling the power unit of the tractor With the impelling and cutting mechanism to securethe desirable,` i

operating speeds and to coordinate the cutting speed of the excavator with the speed of its advance in the direction of the Work.`

In the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof, and in Whiehlike reference characters designate like parts, Fig. l is a side elevational view of an excavating device em-` bodying the principles of my invention; Fig.

2 is a front yelevational view thereof; Fig. 3

is a rear elevation; Fig. 4 isa rear, elevation of a modiiied form of excavating device, in which the cutting mechanism isdisposed to one side of the longitudinal cent-er line of the device; Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of the head end of the boom or cutter bar carrying the shock and strain 'toivhich the operating parts excavating implements; Fig. 6 is a corre-iy spending view of the opposite end of said boom; Fig. k7 is a partial plan view ofthe transmissiony system connecting the tractor with the excavating mechanism; Fig. 8 is an' enlarged detail rvievv in side elevation par tially inlsection of the gear drive for the trac-vr tor Wheels; Figs. 9` and 10 arethe side elevation and planview, respectively, .ofan adjusting kdevice for regulating the position oity the boom or cutter bar; Figs. 1l, 12, 13 and 14 are,respec`tively, an end, plan, andside iio elevational view of a conveyor system uti'- lized in connection with the excavating device; and Fig. 15 is an enlarged View of the cutter chain illustrating its link construction.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the structureA therein illustrated comprisesV a tractor 1 having its rear wheels removed from its rear axle 2, which is'secured by suitable clamping brackets 3 to a pair of side frames 4, that extend to a yoke, Fig. v2. The rear portion of the frames 4 are ournaled on an axle 5, carrying traction wheels 6 and a top frame comprising uprights 7, 8 and 9, and longitudinal frame portion 10 is'secured to the frames 4 and partially supported on the axle 5 to rigidly hold the frames 4 in proper spaced relation. `A pair of vertical frame members 11 are pivoted on the axle 5 and are provided with bearings v12 and 13 for journaling a main dijiveshaft and jack shaft for actuating thev excavating mechanism, as will be l hereinafter described.

opening 19 to permit the operation of a conV-V veyor 2O whichris suspended therein by links 21. The frame members 18 converge to a reduced section which is associated with a pair of channel irons 22 that Vare `reenforced by suitable lattice work not shown. Thesechannels carry a wheel sliaft'23 that is journaled in an adjustable bearing 24 having a screw andnut adjusting mechanism 25j for taking up the Wear on the bearing, F igs.y 1 and 6.

,A pair of endlessVY link chains are dis posed around sprocket wheels 31 and 32 which y are keyed to the shafts 23 and 12, respectively. rllie chains 30 are maintainedl in proper tension by idlers 33 and the tension device 34,' Fig. 5. are Aprovided with detachable cutters 36 which are fastened to the links of the chains 3 0 andV are adapted to traverse thepath of the chains. In Fig.y 15 I'liaveillustrated more clearly the construction of the chain 30 which is 'there shown toberestrained by lugs 30 tomaintain the linksrigid during the, cutting action of lce thecutters 36. vThe linksl provided with the lugs 30 are further provided with openings 30, for attaching cutters 36 if it is desired to operate 'the cutter chain without the buckets 35. rThe main drive shaft 12 is ygeared tothe jack shaft 13 which carries a sprocket Wheel 38and is. actuated by Va drive 'A plurality of excavating buckets 35,

chain 39 connected to the main drive gear 40', Fig. 7, of the excavating device. Y

The conveyor system disposed in the enlarged opening 19, Figs. 11,12, 13 and 14, of

the cutter bar or frame, comprises an exthe shaft 44fhaving a sprocket gear 45 that is chained to a sprocket-wheel 46 secured to the end of thejack shaft 13. A plurality of idler rolls 48 are j ournaled in the frame ineinbe-rs and 41, and an endless belt 50 passes over the end pulleys 42 and 43. The conveyor is adjustable by means of a ratchet 51, Fig. 5, whichV lengthensor shortens a conveyor supl port to maintain the belt parallel with the cutting plane yin accordance `.with the different positions assuined by the cutter bar. The pivoted frames 11 are the main supportingV members for the excavating mechanism as previously explained, and carry the major portion of its load. It is sometimes desirable, when the excavator is not in use, to position the members 11 so that'the weight of the excavators does not overhang beyond therear axle 5. j To facilitate adjustment of these vertical frames 1 have provided a worin winch and a cable drum 52 at the front end of the top frame 10'which is manually yoperrated by a hand wheell 53. A cable 54 is disposedr aroundy pulleys 55 carried by the upright frame kportion 7 1and`3, journaled in the vertical frames 11. The cable winds on the drum 52 thereby raising the pivot arms 11 to la substantially the main drive or transmission to which it is. connectedbyr a chain 62. The pivot frames 14,- Figs. 9 and 10 function to alter the cutting position of the excavating mechanism by shortening the connection of the cable 15 with the boom or cutterbar 17 through the worin adjustment 16, or by shortening the angler between the frames 14 and 11, lwhich raises the cutter or excavating mechanism in a vertical direction.V rllhe frame 1,4 is

resiliently supported by a. cable 15 whichl kpasses over the sheave wheel 15 Fig. 7.

' Referring to Fig. 5, a cleaning linger 65 pivoted on the end of lever 66 is actuated by a camv 67^mounted on a shaft 68 for the purpose of cleaning the buckets 35 ywhen they are tilted in passing over the head sprockets 32. The shaft 68 is driven by a belt or chain 69 from? the main' drive shaft 12 to provide the a and pulleys 56, Figs.

proper time relation for the vertical movement of the linger with the spacing of the buckets 35.

Referring to `Fig. 7 of the drawings, the transmission system comprises a quill carrying sprockets 71 and 40 that is rotatably mounted on an axle 5. The sprocket wheel 7l is connected by a chain 72 to a wheel 78 rotating with a shaft 74, and the latter is provided at itsother end with a wheel 75 having a drive connection 76 with the take-off power unit 77 of the tractor. The rear axle housing 78 which is secured in the frame portion 4 has its extending shaftportions 2 provided with sprocket gears 8O and these are connectedwith chains 81 to sprocket wheels 82 secured on the ends of a shaft 88. A drive shaft 84 is journaled with its axis in parallel alignment with the wheel axle 5 and is provided at its respective ends with gear wheels 85, Figs. 7 and 8 that interact with teeth 86 of the wheels onrthe axles 5.

Shaft 84 is connected with shafts 7 4 and 83 through gear trains 87 and 88 which are interchangeable for the purpose of eecting a greater speed reduction when the excavating mechanism is utilized. A pair of pinions 89 may be disengaged from the shaft 84, and pinions 90 may be secured to rotate with the shaft 74, therebyy effecting a greater speed reduction between the shafts 74 and 84. The

shaft 7 4 is provided with a clutch 91 for dis connecting the take-off powe'i.` unit 77 with the transmission. It will be seen that either the excavating mechanism or the impelling gear drive may be actuated from the take-ofi' power unit or the main differential drive of the tractor, thus providing a range of speeds desirable to meet the operating conditions to which the apparatus is subjected.

Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings, the cutting mechanism is shown mounted in alignment with one of the propelling wheels, this being accomplished by the addition of the frame portion 98 which can readily be assembled to the main frame of the tractor. This adjustment is sometimes desirable where it is necessary to excavate as close as possible to a wall or curb.

The operation of my 'excavator mechanism is breifly as follows: The transmission system is actuated by the tractor power plant through the power take-off unit and the main differential drives, as explained in connection with Fig. 7. The excavating mechanism including the buckets 35 and their supporting chains 80, is driven from the sprocket 40 on the quill 70 and the several cooperating movable elements, including the transversely disposed conveyor member 19, are actuated by their connections directly or indirectly with the drive shaft l2.

The excavating unit may be adjusted as heretofore explained, by the hand winch 52 or the power hoist 4and the depth of the cuttingk action of the buckets 35 can be regulated `by the vertical or pivotal adjustment of the ltrenches and the like in an economical manner. It is further obvious that it is advant-ageous to design the excavating mechanism torbe adapted for use with a tractor which maybe generally employed for farm work y `when not associated with they excavating mechanism.

Although I have described a specific einbodiinent of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modilications may be made in the details of con struction and in the design and arrangement of the several cooperating parts without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. An excavator con'iprising a plurality of side frames journaled upon a plurality of wheeled axles, an overhead frame portion rigidly secured to the front and rear of said side frames, a plurality of pivot arms mounted on one of said axles, a cutter frame pivotally mountedk on one of said arms, cutting mechanism mounted on said frame, and means for moving said cutter frame about its pivot support.

2. An excavator comprising a plurality of side frames j ournaled upon a plurality of wheeled axles, anvk overhead Lframe portion rigidly secured to the front and rear of said side frames, a plurality of pivot arms mounted on one of said axles, a cutter frainepivot"n` ally mounted on one of said arms, sprocket wheels journaled in the respective ends ofy said cutter frame, endless chains having excavating buckets secured thereto connecting said wheels, means for actuating said chains and means for advancing the excavator in the direction of the work.

3. An excavator comprising a plurality of side frames journaled upon a plurality ot wheeled axles, an overhead -frame portion rigidly secured to the front and rear of said side frames, a plurality of pivot arms mounted on one of said axles, a cutter framepivot-y ally mounted on one of said arms, drive `and guide wheels journaled in adjustable bear,-y

ings in the respective ends of said cutter i frame, a plurality of endless chains disposed around said wheels and cooperatively con necting they saine, buckets secured to said chains, cutters detachably mounted on said buckets, means for maintaining said chains under tension, and means for taking up the wear on said bearings.

4. An excavator comprising a plurality of side frames journaled upon a pluralityof verse opening providedin said cutter frame y wheeled aXles, an overhead frame portionV `in cooperative alignment with said buckets, and means for cleaning said buckets 1n the path of said conveyor.

5. An excavator comprising a plurality of side frames journaled upon a plurality of Wheeled axles, an overhead frame portion rigidly secured to the front and rear of said side frames, a plurality of pivot arms mounted on one of said axles, a cutter frame pivotally mounted on Yone of said arms, a guide Wheel journaled in adjustable bearings in one end of saidcutter frame and a sprocket Wheel journ'aled in the other end of said frame, a plurality of endless chains disposed around said Wheels and cooperatively connecting' the same, and excavating buckets secured to said chains. f

Intestimony whereof, I sign my name.

y CHARLES T. TOPPING. 

